1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a coolant filter assembly kit for a vehicle, to a coolant filter assembly formed from the kit, and to a method of using same. More particularly, the present invention relates to a coolant filter assembly kit which includes both a fluid conduit member for placing in-line in a coolant line such as, e.g., a heater core circuit, and a coolant filter apparatus which is attachable to the fluid conduit member. The present invention also relates to a coolant filter assembly which is formed from components of the kit, and to a method of using the coolant filter assembly hereof to filter engine coolant.
2. Description of the Background Art
Some types of coolant filters are known, for filtering engine coolant during engine operation. Some of the known coolant filters include dissolving additive tablets or other mechanisms for the delayed release of supplemental chemical additives into the coolant. Examples of some known coolant filters can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,682,308, 3,726,262, 3,776,384, 4,782,891, 5,050,549, 5,435,346, 5,690,814, and 5,803,024.
Certain kits are also known and are commercially available to facilitate the process of draining coolant from a vehicle and subsequently refilling the vehicle with fresh coolant. These kits may include a hollow "T" shaped fitting for installing in-line in a vehicular heater hose. In this known type of T fitting, the base of the fitting is externally threaded to receive a female fitting of a standard garden hose thereon. To the best of applicant's understanding, this known type of T fitting is completely open on the inside thereof, so that any given leg of the "T" is in free fluid communication with both of the other legs.
With the increased emphasis on vehicle durability and longevity, a need still exists in the art for a kit which can be used to construct a coolant filter assembly, for adding in-line into a vehicle coolant line to provide a replaceable coolant filter, the kit including one such replaceable filter.